Written Answers
Thursday 11 December 2014
Castes: Discrimination
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 May (HL6447) stating that the consultation on the implementation of the amendment to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amending section 9(a) in the Equality Act 2010 adding caste to the list of protected characteristics, agreed by Parliament in April 2013, would begin in the autumn, whether they will now issue the consultation.[HL3205]
Baroness Garden of Frognal (LD): We are currently considering the form and timing of the public consultation in the light of ongoing caste discrimination litigation in the Employment Appeal Tribunal. We will await the outcome of the judgment before deciding in what form to issue the public consultation.
Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made a decision on the possible inclusion of issues relating to Kincora Boy's Home in East Belfast in the inquiry into the exploitation of children in the United Kingdom.[HL3060]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bates) (Con): The Terms of Reference for the Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse have been published and the geographic scope is limited to England and Wales. The protection of children is a devolved matter, and it would be inappropriate for the inquiry panel to make recommendations for Northern Ireland concerning the running of the child protection system there.
However, as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland set out in her statement to Parliament on 21 October, the Government is determined that no stone should be left unturned to investigate serious allegations of institutional failure. She has also made clear that the Government, Ministry of Defence and the Security Services will give the Inquiry the fullest possible co-operation. We currently believe that the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry is the best place to do that in respect of Kincora and we will work closely with, the Chairman of the Inquiry, Sir Anthony Hart to help to achieve that.
We will monitor carefully the extent to which the Inquiry is able to make progress in respect of material relevant to Kincora and we will look at the situation again if the Inquiry tells us it is unable to determine the facts.
Children: Poverty
Questions
Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have carried out any forecasts of the level of child poverty between now and 2020; and if so, whether they will be made public.[HL3230]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have calculated the impact on child poverty of the combined tax and benefit policy changes announced to date since May 2010.[HL3231]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): The Government does not produce forecasts of the number of children living in income poverty as the number of children in poverty is dependent on factors which cannot be reliably predicted, such as the median income.
The Government does measure annual child poverty statistics through the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. Estimates of the number and proportion of children in relative and absolute low income in the UK have consistently been reported since 1998/99; these are available for each financial year up to 2012/13, the latest period for which estimates are available.
There has been no assessment of the impact on child poverty of the combined tax and benefit changes announced since May 2010. Available survey data does not allow the Government to robustly assess the combined effects of tax and benefit policy on households with children.
However, this Government has taken unprecedented steps to assess the effects of its policy decisions across the distribution of household income, by publishing analysis of the cumulative effects of the tax and welfare measures announced at each fiscal event since the June Budget 2010. The latest analysis can be found in Chapter 2 of the attached report.
Fraud
Questions
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial contribution the telephone companies make towards combatting phone scamming crimes.[HL3438]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bates) (Con): We do not hold information on the cost of any industry initiatives to counter phone scamming however Ofcom, the police and landline providers are currently working together to reduce the time a caller can stay on the line which makes it much more difficult for criminals to exploit phone lines for fraudulent purposes.
Telephone companies and industry bodies work in a number of ways to combat phone scamming, often in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, such as the City of London Police who run the National
Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). The NFIB partners with a number of telecommunications companies and industry wide organisations, including Ofcom to reduce the impact of this crime.
This Government takes this issue very seriously and is working with partners across industry and law enforcement to raise awareness and improve the overall response to fraud, including those committed over the phone. This includes work with national and local partners to reduce the likelihood of individuals becoming a victim, or repeat victim, such as our current campaign with Avon and Somerset Police and Neighbourhood Watch aimed at the vulnerable elderly. Through Action Fraud, we also provide information on the latest threats and protective advice.
The Fraud Act 2006 established for the first time a single offence of fraud. It makes no distinction in the method used to commit fraud and as such captures fraud committed over the telephone as well as fraud committed in other ways. We keep the effectiveness of legislation under review and have no current plans to make alterations to the Fraud Act.
Law enforcement partners, such as the Economic Crime Command of the National Crime Agency and the City of London Police, the lead force for Fraud are engaged in various operations with international connections. For example, the National Crime Agency recently collaborated with the City of London Police on Operation RICO, a major investigation against organised crime groups engaged in investment fraud often conducted over the phone. A coordinated international day of action in February resulted in 110 arrests in the UK, USA, Spain and Serbia, and the seizure of significant assets and cash.
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what review mechanisms are in place to ensure that legislation to combat phone scamming is fit for purpose. [HL3439]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with international partners to help combat phone scamming.[HL3440]
Lord Bates: We do not hold information on the cost of any industry initiatives to counter phone scamming however Ofcom, the police and landline providers are currently working together to reduce the time a caller can stay on the line which makes it much more difficult for criminals to exploit phone lines for fraudulent purposes.
Telephone companies and industry bodies work in a number of ways to combat phone scamming, often in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, such as the City of London Police who run the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). The NFIB partners with a number of telecommunications companies and industry wide organisations, including Ofcom to reduce the impact of this crime.
This Government takes this issue very seriously and is working with partners across industry and law enforcement to raise awareness and improve the overall response to fraud, including those committed over the
phone. This includes work with national and local partners to reduce the likelihood of individuals becoming a victim, or repeat victim, such as our current campaign with Avon and Somerset Police and Neighbourhood Watch aimed at the vulnerable elderly. Through Action Fraud, we also provide information on the latest threats and protective advice.
The Fraud Act 2006 established for the first time a single offence of fraud. It makes no distinction in the method used to commit fraud and as such captures fraud committed over the telephone as well as fraud committed in other ways. We keep the effectiveness of legislation under review and have no current plans to make alterations to the Fraud Act.
Law enforcement partners, such as the Economic Crime Command of the National Crime Agency and the City of London Police, the lead force for Fraud are engaged in various operations with international connections. For example, the National Crime Agency recently collaborated with the City of London Police on Operation RICO, a major investigation against organised crime groups engaged in investment fraud often conducted over the phone. A coordinated international day of action in February resulted in 110 arrests in the UK, USA, Spain and Serbia, and the seizure of significant assets and cash.
Higher Education
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of massive open online courses on traditional higher education. [HL3227]
Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con): The Government has not conducted a formal assessment of the impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
Horse Racing: Betting
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current status of their consultation on the reform of the Horserace Betting Levy in the light of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement announcement of the introduction of a racing right. [HL3463]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): As a result of our analysis of the responses to the two consultations it is clear that more detail is required as to how a replacement for the Levy would work. In order to enable a fair comparison between reform and replacement we will work up the “racing right” proposal and engage constructively with stakeholders so that a fully informed decision can be made. We will consult early in the New Year.
Immigration
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 1 December (HL2989), why the Office for National Statistics makes no breakdown of Gross Domestic Product contributions by nationality based on the information available.[HL3588]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS to Lord Patten dated December 2014.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary question asking Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 1 December (HL2989), why the Office for National Statistics makes no breakdown of Gross Domestic Product contributions by nationality based on the information available. (HL3588)
ONS does not produce any breakdown of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributions by nationality because the majority of the data sources that are used in the GDP compilation do not request nationality as a survey based response. While a few GDP data inputs do include a nationality based question in their survey response, this is not consistent across the inputs and insufficient to present an overall GDP by nationality indicator.
Islamic State
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they estimate IS to have received in kidnap ransoms; and what assessment they have made of the reported Iraqi intelligence estimates that they have received $200 million.[HL3186]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns) (Con): There is considerable speculation over how much the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other terrorist groups have secured from kidnapping for ransom. In October 2014 the UN Al Qaeda Sanctions Monitoring Team estimated that ISIL had received between US$35 and US$45 million in ransom payments in the preceding twelve months.
Magna Carta
Question
Asked by Lord Black of Brentwood
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding they are making available to organisations marking the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta; and how those funds will be used.[HL3212]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Faulks) (Con): In March this year the Chancellor of the Exchequer provided a direct grant of £1 million to the Magna Carta Trust to support the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta. Applications for funding were invited by the Trust and a list of projects that were successful is available at: http://magnacarta800th.com/projects/.
In addition to the direct grant of £1 million, Magna Carta projects have benefited from awards totalling £21.8 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Successful projects range from £502,900 awarded to Salisbury Cathedral’s ‘Engaging with Magna Carta’ programme to £7,400 for the Walkern History Society’s self guided history trail.
The Ministry of Justice has also provided four members of staff to support the development of the Global Law Summit, to be held in February next year, a world-class legal conference which will address the continuing relevance of Magna Carta to modern-world legal and business issues.
Minimum Wage
Question
Asked by Lord Browne of Belmont
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent steps they have taken to improve enforcement of the national minimum wage.[HL3354]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Baroness Neville-Rolfe) (Con): HM Revenue and Customs enforces the National Minimum Wage for all workers and investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline. In addition, HMRC conducts pro-active enforcement in sectors or areas where there is a higher risk of workers not getting paid the legal minimum wage.
The Government is taking a tough approach towards employers that do not comply with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, including through making their non-compliance public. 55 employers have been named so far and between them they owed workers a total of over £139,000 in arrears.
The Government has also increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid arrears owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. This came into effect on 7 March 2014. We are introducing primary legislation so that the penalty can be calculated on a per worker basis.
Any worker who thinks they are not being paid what they are legally entitled to can call the Pay and Work Right Helpline on 0800 917 2368. Employers can also call the helpline for free advice if they are unsure of their obligations.
Mobile Phones
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure people are not trapped in unfair mobile phone contracts.[HL3468]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Ofcom, the UK Regulator for Telecoms, oversees the General Conditions of Entitlement (GCEs), the rules under which Telecoms companies must operate in the UK. GC 9.6 provides consumer protection in the event of mid-contract variations. Under GC 9.6, providers must give customers notice of contract modifications (e.g. price rises) likely to cause ‘material detriment’ to them and the right to exit the contract without penalty in response. Ofcom published guidance at the start of this year clarifying these rules and further enabling competition in the market to deliver a choice of competitive tariffs for the consumer in the UK.
Major telecoms companies have also agreed to work with the Government and Ofcom on ways to improve transparency in contracts in line with the principles underpinning the Ofcom guidance. The Government and the Regulator will continue to work with the industry to promote further ways of ensuring that consumers have the best possible information to help them make informed choices about the communications services they purchase.
Offences against Children
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to provide additional resources to the local authorities in Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Derby and any other local authority that has experienced child sexual exploitation cases and requires funding for victim support and child protection.[HL3369]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon) (Con): The Government is determined that appalling cases of child abuse should be exposed so that perpetrators face justice and the vulnerable are protected. The Government is clear that there is more to be done for victims and to minimise the risk of such terrible events occurring in Rotherham or anywhere else in the future.
The Home Secretary has been chairing a series of Secretaries of State meetings alongside colleagues from the Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, Communities and Local Government and Department of Health, and the Attorney General and Solicitor General to analyse the failures identified in the Jay report and consider how all parties, including the criminal justice system, local government, the health service and the voluntary sector, can work together more effectively to support and protect victims of child sexual exploitation.
Powers of Entry
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 7 July (HL824), whether they can now give a date when the final departmental transaction reports on the review of powers of entry required by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 will be laid before Parliament.[HL3563]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bates) (Con): Final reports on the powers of entry review were laid before Parliament on 27 November 2014.
Prisoners: Per Capita Costs
Question
Asked by Lord Browne of Belmont
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average annual cost of incarcerating a prisoner in each year between 2011 and 2014.[HL3353]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Faulks) (Con): The average cost per prisoner has been reducing year-on-year since 2009-10. Between 2009-10 and 2013-14 there has been a real terms reduction of 17% in the overall average cost per prisoner.
The Department routinely publishes average costs per prisoner and prison place, based on actual net resource expenditure for each private and public sector prison and in summary form for the whole of the prison estate in England and Wales on an annual basis after the end of each financial year. This includes a breakdown of these costs by prison category and individual prison within each category.
The latest published information for the average cost of a prison place and average cost of a prisoner for financial year 2013-14, together with other information on the calculation of prison unit costs is published alongside the Management Information Addendum to the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Annual Report & Accounts. This can be accessed using the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics-201314
A copy of this and similar information for previous financial years can also be found in the House library.
Continuing to reduce prison unit costs is one of the key targets for the Department and we are committed to delivering prison changes designed to modernise the prison estate and further reduce prison costs.
Pupils: Travellers
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to address the inclusion of Roma children in United Kingdom schools.[HL3226]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The Government has moved away from bespoke top-down programmes and initiatives aimed at ensuring the inclusion of individual ethnic groups of pupils. Our approach is to set a clear expectation that all schools ensure that all their pupils, regardless of their ethnicity, are welcomed and fully integrated into school, and prepared for life in modern Britain.
The Department for Education continues to engage with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) education stakeholder group, chaired by Baroness Whitaker, to
disseminate good practice and encourage local action, particularly around how to improve GRT pupils’ attendance and attainment.
Security Guards
Question
Asked by Baroness Smith of Basildon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when Ministers last met representatives of the private security industry; and what issues were discussed.[HL3425]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bates) (Con): Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently published on the Gov.uk website: http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office.